Cotija & Chile Mashed Potatoes

You don’t think of mashed potatoes when you think of Mexican food, but the roasted chiles and Cotija cheese make these a good match for the flavors of other dishes in this book. These potatoes are rich, creamy, and indulgent and go well with a steak and Trejo’s Steak Sauce (this page) or alongside barbacoa or carnitas.

Serves 6

2 medium poblano chiles

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed (leave the skin on) and quartered

2 cups whole milk

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

3 tablespoons crumbled Cotija cheese

½ cup shredded Mexican-style cheese blend, store-bought or homemade (see this page)

Place the chiles directly over a gas burner turned to medium-high and cook, turning them occasionally with tongs, until they are blistered on all sides, about 5 minutes. Let the chiles cool and then scrape off the blackened outer layer with a spoon. Cut off the stems, slice the chiles lengthwise, remove the seeds, and coarsely chop the chiles. You should have about ½ cup. Set aside.

Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan and add cold water to cover. Bring the water to a simmer over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the potatoes are tender throughout, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set them aside to cool slightly.

In the same saucepan used for the potatoes, combine the milk, salt, and pepper. Set the pan over medium heat. When the milk is just hot enough that you can see steam rising, return the potatoes to the pan and use a potato masher to combine them with the milk, taking care not to overmix.

Gently stir in the melted butter, and then stir in half of the Cotija, half of the cheese blend, and half of the chopped chiles. Gently mix again.

Use a rubber spatula to transfer the mashed potatoes to a serving dish. Sprinkle with the remaining Cotija, cheese blend, and chiles and serve.